Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁵⁵ He, however, was filled with the holy spirit, and looked steadily up into heaven. There he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand.

⁵⁶ “Look!” he said. “I can see heaven opened, and the son of man standing at God’s right hand!”

⁵⁷ But they yelled at him at the tops of their voices, blocked their ears and made a concerted dash at him. ⁵⁸ They bundled him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.

⁵⁹ So they stoned Stephen.

“Lord Jesus,” he cried out, “receive my spirit.”

⁶⁰ Then he knelt down and shouted at the top of his voice, “Lord, don’t let this sin stand against them.”

Once he had said this, he fell asleep.

² As newborn babies, long for the spiritual milk, the real stuff, not watered down. That is what will make you grow up to salvation— ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

The living stone

⁴ Come to him, to that living stone. Humans rejected him, but God chose him and values him very highly! ⁵ Like living stones yourselves, you are being built up into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that will be well pleasing to God through Jesus the Messiah.

⁶ That’s why it stands in scripture:

⁷ He is indeed precious for you believers. But when people don’t believe, “the stone which the builders rejected has become the head cornerstone,” ⁸ and “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble as they disobey the word, which indeed was their destiny. ⁹ But you are a “chosen race; a royal priesthood”; a holy nation; a people for God’s possession. Your purpose is to announce the virtuous deeds of the one who called you out of darkness into his amazing light. ¹⁰ Once you were “no people”; now you are “God’s people.” Once you had not received mercy; now you have received mercy.

The way, the truth, the life

14 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled,” Jesus continued. “Trust God—and trust me, too! ² There is plenty of room to stay in my father’s house. If that wasn’t the case, I’d have told you, wouldn’t I? I’m going to get a place ready for you! ³ And if I do go and get a place ready for you, I will come back and take you to be with me, so that you can be there, where I am. ⁴ And as to where I’m going—you know the way!”

⁵ “Actually, Master,” said Thomas to him, “we don’t know where you’re going, so how can we know the way?”

⁶ “I am the way,” replied Jesus, “and the truth and the life! Nobody comes to the father except through me. ⁷ If you had known me, you would have known my father. From now on you do know him! You have seen him.”

⁸ “Just show us the father, then, Master,” said Philip to Jesus, “and that’ll be good enough for us!”

⁹ “Have I been with you for such a long time, Philip,” replied Jesus, “and still you don’t know me? Anyone who has seen me has seen the father! How can you say, ‘Show us the father’? ¹⁰ Don’t you believe that I am in the father, and the father is in me? The words I’m speaking to you, I’m not speaking on my own initiative. It’s the father, who lives within me, who is doing his own works. ¹¹ You must trust me that I am in the father and the father is in me. If not, then trust because of all the things you’ve seen done.”

Another helper

¹² “I’m telling you the solemn truth,” Jesus continued. “Anyone who trusts in me will also do the works that I’m doing. In fact, they will do greater works than these, because I’m going to the father! ¹³ And whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, so that the father may be glorified in the son. ¹⁴ If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.